The present invention relates generally to protective clothing for firefighters and, more particularly, to a firefighter's turnout coat.
Firefighting is a very physically stressing activity which must be performed under conditions and in an environment which are bad under the best of circumstances. It is of course necessary for firefighters to wear clothing which protects them from the hostile fire environment and yet does so with the minimum weight and bulk to thereby reduce the stress placed on the firefighters. To this end, the upper portion of a firefighter is protected by an outer garment called a "turnout" coat which is made of flame resistant, water resistant and heat resistant material which also has a built-in moisture barrier. The lower portion of a firefighter is normally protected by protective bunker pants, and the turnout coat overlaps the top of the pan to protect the torso of the firefighter.
Many activities require firefighters to raise their arms above their heads; unfortunately, when prior art turnout coats are worn, the bottoms of the coats tend to rise up a substantial distance. Such ride-up can potentially expose the torso of the firefighter between the bottom of the turnout coat and the top of the protective bunker pants. The cuffs on the ends of the sleeves of prior art turnout coats also tend to ride-up substantially and risk the possibility of exposing the wrists of firefighters to the hostile fire environment.
To help ensure adequate protection for firefighters, prior art turnout coats are made sufficiently long such that torsos of firefighters are not exposed when they raise their arms above their heads. The additional length of the prior art coats adds to their weight and hence the physical stress placed upon firefighters.
Another piece of commonly employed firefighting equipment is self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) which is strapped to the back of the turnout coat. While the SCBA adds substantially to the weight which must be borne by a firefighter, it is obviously necessary in many operations. Unfortunately, with conventional turnout coats, the stress created by the SCBA is amplified by the substantial ride-up of the coat when the firefighters' arms are raised over their heads since the SCBA must also be raised by the firefighters.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved turnout coat which facilitates extension of firefighters' arms above their heads and also substantially reduces ride-up of the coat bottom and the sleeve Wristlets while the wearers arms are raised. Such an improved turnout coat may be shorter in length and hence lighter in weight than prior art turnout coats and additionally reduces the energy which is otherwise required to effect the upward movement of the coat body on the firefighter's torso, particularly when the firefighter is using SCBA. Improvements in the design of a firefighter's turnout coat which allow for a shorter and lighter coat, provide more comfort and permit freer movement and hence less fatigue than prior art turnout coats provide not only advances in the art, but more importantly, better protection for firefighters.